BODINE: Phoenix Track Gives Drivers the Wheel
11-03-2008 5:32 pm
Phoenix International Raceway is the shortest track on the 'win list' for Germain Racing. The Lumber Liquidators Tundra has finished no worse than sixth at PIR, aside from its debut appearance at the desert mile in 2004. Driver Todd Bodine says the track puts a lot of control into the hands of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series drivers. "Phoenix International Raceway is fun as a driver because it's two different corners, two different straightaways
you can move around, change your line and make your truck do different things. That puts a lot of it into the driver's hands on how the night goes," said Bodine. "Phoenix is usually a great show for the fans, and an awesome track to showcase the solid performance of our Lumber Liquidators pit crew." While the driver has a lot of influence on how the truck performs during race conditions, getting the truck to that point takes a unified effort between the driver and his crew. "The truck has got to handle. Like any track and it's got to be good through the whole race. If you're tight, it kills the corner speed and you can't go anywhere," said Bodine. For crew chief Mike Hillman Jr., the team's approach to practice helps identify the adjustments that need to be made to the Lumber Liquidators Tundra. "We run one line in practice - the line Todd feels is the preferred line. If we're still off when the race starts, Todd will adjust his line to pick up speed until we can get the truck to the pits to work on it. This helps us be sure we have a setup in the Lumber Liquidators Tundra that we can work with throughout the race," said Hillman Jr. With driver's having so much input into the race results, Phoenix is a track that has become known for incredible comebacks. To do it, Bodine says you have to start with a good truck. "You've got to have a good truck. You're not just going to drive through, so you have to a good truck and do all the right things and get the track position. At the same time, as a driver, you can do things and make up time and get yourself out of a hole at Phoenix," said Bodine. Bodine is third in the Truck Series driver points; owner Steve Germain ranks fourth.